History
of the Christian Women of the New Wave
The Christian Women of the New Wave (CWNW) is a group of dedicated
women of various Christian denominations united to minister to the spiritual, soulish, and physical needs of the people in
the East St. Louis
area and the world at large through the promotion of the uncompromised Word of God. The group received God's call for its inception in July of 1983 while attending
Kenneth Hagin's 11th Camp Meeting, "A Wave of Power and Glory," in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Upon returning to the East St. Louis area, the group, together with other women,
continued to seek God's perfect will through prayer and fasting. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, fifteen determined women
met on August 29, 1983 to organize the ministry.
A director and other officers were elected. The name Christian Women of the New Wave was chosen because the group believed
--- as Kenneth Hagin had taught --- that the Body of Christ was in a new wave of God's glory and power, the Wave of Intercessor
Prayer. They also believed that God had called them to intercede and to minister His Word to equip believers and non-believers
for Christ's return.
God has involved His people in seven known waves in the demonstration of His power. They are as follows:
1.
Pentecost - The outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
2.
Spiritual Gifts - Operations and manifestation
of Supernatural power.
3.
Healing - Focus on powerful healing ministries.
4.
Charismatic - Pentecostal outpouring in all
denominations.
5.
Word - Emphasis in the Word manifesting through
faith.
6.
Intercession - Praying for others to break strongholds.
7.
Return of Christ - His victorious Second Coming
to Earth.
Believing
that the Body of Christ was currently in the sixth of the seven waves and that this wave, the Wave of Intercessory Prayer,
would usher in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the group realized that it was time to go forth in the ministry for which
God had called them.
As
intercessors united in God's Army, they hoped to tap into the power source that would demolish the strongholds of Satan's
deceptions and oppressions in the community and the world. It was their belief that God would hear their prayers and manifest
Himself in great and mighty ways.
The opportunity to minister became a reality in less than two months. On October 15, 1983, the Christian Women of the New Wave held its first prayer
breakfast at the Dinner Theater of the Ramada Inn in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The speaker, Rev. Joanne
Bateman, ministered to a capacity filled crowd. God moved miraculously. Individuals were saved, healed, delivered, and
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Since that first prayer breakfast, God has continued to move mightily to empower and to set the captives free
through other prayer breakfasts, prayer luncheons, intercessory prayer meetings, retreats, conferences, seminars, Bible Studies,
trips, cruises, other ministry outreaches, and community service projects. Also, God has provided many other dynamic speakers,
both locally and nationally, to teach and preach His Word.
In 1994, the mantle of leadership changed, but the focus of the mission and vision
remained constant, while providing more emphasis in community services in the areas of battered women, victims of violence,
and "No Child Left Behind."
As the group approaches the celebration of its 25th year of ministry in 2008, they remain
committed to the challenge, unified in God's love, and open to the dictates of the Holy Spirit for the future. The following
prophecy was once given to CWNW: "If Christian Women of the New Wave would walk in love and unity without strife, the
group would see a great demonstration of God's power." Truly God has moved mightily in the past, but the Christian
Women of the New Wave know that the greater is yet to come as the group embarks upon a Rebirth or Renascence in Ministry.
